Traditional pillows used to support the head or other parts of the body, for example used while sleeping, typically have a substantially fixed shape. Although a conventional pillow may contain a deformable cushion, small local changes in the shape of the cushion are usually accommodated within an outer cover that is closed around the inner cushion in a fixed shape. Such pillows are limited in the ways that they can be used. In order to support different bodily positions e.g. sitting, reclining, lying, etc., a user will normally stack multiple pillows at different angles and/or orientations to achieve a desired supporting configuration.
Some pillows have a shape other than the normal square or rectangular shape so as to provide a particular supporting function. For example, elongate pillows that are straight or U-shaped are sold for use by pregnant women. These sausage-like pillows may be used by pregnant women to support their pelvis and baby bump while sleeping. However, even these elongate pillows are fixed in their overall outer dimensions and this limits their ability to adapt to use in different circumstances.
There remains a need for support pillows that can be easily adapted for use in various different situations.